Incheon Airport expands overseas business portfolio

Incheon International Airport Corp. said Sunday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s state-run airport operator Angkasa Pura I for cooperation in overseas airport projects. The signing ceremony, attended by IIAC CEO Koo Bon-hwan, President Director of AP I Faik Fahmi and some 20 officials from both companies, took place at Paradise City in Incheon on Wednesday. Under the memorandum, IIAC and AP I will upgrade relations to a strategic partnership to closely cooperate

IndustryAug. 18, 2019

First hearing in Holt lawsuit by Korean adoptee deported from US highlights fight for transparency, adoptee rights

The presiding judge in the Seoul Central District Court opened session Tuesday by noting the unusual audience as the small courtroom overflowed with over 60 South Korean-born international adoptees and adoptee rights advocates. The hearing was the first in a landmark lawsuit filed by deported Korean American adoptee Adam Crapser against the Korean government and Holt Children’s Services.Crapser, adopted through Holt at age 3, was abused by two sets of adoptive parents, neither of which fil

Social AffairsAug. 18, 2019

KT launches epidemic prevention app in Ghana

Korean telecom company KT said Sunday it has launched a mobile application to help prevent epidemics in Ghana, Africa. Called the Global Epidemic Prevention Platform, the app allows users to access information on epidemic diseases. It supports three functions: GEPP Public, GEPP Clinic and GEPP Gov. GEPP Public alerts people who enter an epidemic region of the potential dangers. GEPP Clinic receives real-time notifications from people who have experienced an epidemic breakout and displays locatio

IndustryAug. 18, 2019

S. Korea commemorates 10th year of ex-President Kim Dae-jung's death

South Korea on Sunday commemorated the death of former liberal President Kim Dae-jung 10 years ago, as the nation remembers his dedication to democracy and efforts to improve ties with North Korea and Japan.Political leaders, government officials and other citizens, including National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, attended the memorial ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery. Kim, a longtime opposition leader and pro-democracy fighter, led the country from 1998-2003.

PoliticsAug. 18, 2019

Samsung Electronics accounts for 20% of S. Korea's exports in H1

Samsung Electronics Co. was responsible for 20 percent of South Korea's total exports in the first half of this year, showing its heavy influence on the national economy, its financial report showed Sunday.  The South Korean tech giant raised 75.2 trillion won ($62 billion) in sales in the first six months of this year, with 86 percent coming from abroad, its semiannual report said.  The overseas revenue accounted for 20.6 percent of total exports of Asia's fourth-largest economy that

EconomyAug. 18, 2019

Senior military officials of N. Korea, China hold talks over bilateral ties

Senior military officials of North Korea and China have held talks in Beijing to discuss their countries' "friendly" relations and cooperation, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday.Kim Su-gil, the director of the General Political Bureau of the North's Korean People's Army, and Miao Hua, the director of the political affairs department of China's Central Military Commission, met on Friday, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.  Kim, the head of the North's mil

North KoreaAug. 18, 2019

LA Opera declines details on Placido Domingo investigation

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Los Angeles Opera has declined to release any details of its promised investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against opera legend Placido Domingo, the company's longtime general director, including whether it has already started.The union that represents opera singers said Friday that it plans a meeting in Los Angeles next week to address its members' concerns ahead of the LA company's season opener Sept. 14.  Len Egert, the executive director of the A

World NewsAug. 18, 2019

Defiant Hong Kong protesters vow huge rally despite Beijing threats

HONG KONG (AFP) -- Hong Kong democracy activists are hoping to get out a huge crowd later Sunday in a bid to show the city's leaders that their protest movement remains defiant despite increasingly stark warnings from Beijing.Ten weeks of demonstrations have plunged the international finance hub into crisis and communist-ruled mainland China has taken an increasingly hardline tone, including labelling the more violent protester actions "terrorist-like".Clashes have broken out between p

World NewsAug. 18, 2019

N. Korea again raps Seoul over joint military exercise

North Korea again blasted South Korea and the United States for their joint military exercise Saturday, one day after it said it has no intention to talk with South Korea again.In a signed commentary, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed the joint military drill was aimed at invading the North. "It is a well-known fact that the US and the south Korean authorities grew proficient in the capabilities for fighting a war, steadily modifying and supplementing operationa

North KoreaAug. 18, 2019

Moon expresses condolences as remains of 2 late climbers are returned home

President Moon Jae-in on Saturday expressed condolences over two late South Korean climbers whose remains were returned home after going missing in the Himalayas a decade ago.The bodies of Min Jun-young and Park Jong-seong were found in July in the Himalayas and their remains were transported home earlier in the day after cremation in Nepal. They lost contact with the other members of the Jikji Expedition team in September 2009 while climbing in Annapurna, a massif in the Himalayas in north

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2019

NK vice sports minister cancels plan to visit Japan: report

North Korea's vice sports minister has canceled his plan to visit Japan this week to attend a 2020 Tokyo Olympics-related meeting, a Japanese news outlet reported Saturday.North Korean vice minister Won Kil-u and two officials had planned to visit Tokyo from Tuesday to Thursday, but withdrew their plan, Kyodo News reported, citing multiple government sources. The North Koreans originally planned to take part in a meeting of countries that will participate in the Tokyo Olympics. The reason f

North KoreaAug. 17, 2019

S. Korea voices willingness to talk with Japan over its 'whitelist' move

South Korea has notified Japan in advance of its plan to remove Tokyo from its list of trusted trading partners and is willing to talk with Japan further if needed, the trade minister said Saturday.South Korea decided on Monday to remove Japan from its "whitelist" of countries that receive preferential trade status amid a bilateral trade row sparked by Tokyo's July export curbs against Seoul and its subsequent removal of the South from a list of trusted buyers. "The governmen

EconomyAug. 17, 2019

US cites close ties with S. Korea, Japan amid reports Pompeo sided with Tokyo

The United States is committed to maintaining close relationships with both South Korea and Japan, the State Department said Friday amid reports that Washington's top diplomat expressed his support for Tokyo's view on the issue of wartime forced labor.Japanese media have reported that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently agreed with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono's assertion that all matters of compensation related to Tokyo's past use of forced labor were settled under a 1965 deal nor

Foreign AffairsAug. 17, 2019

Seoul stocks likely to remain subdued next week on global economic woes

South Korean shares are likely to remain subdued next week amid lingering concerns over a global economic slowdown prompted by the US-China trade row, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 1927.17 points on Friday, up 0.34 percent from a week ago. The index suffered a 3 percent decline last week. Analysts said the market direction for next week will largely depend on developments in the US-China trade spat, although the latest moves from the world'

MarketAug. 17, 2019

Police raid YG Entertainment over ex-chief Yang's suspected gambling

Police raided the headquarters of YG Entertainment on Saturday over allegations that Yang Hyun-suk, former CEO and chief producer of the influential K-pop label, engaged in habitual gambling.Police have been looking into suspicions that Yang, 49, and Seungri, a former member of the K-pop boy band BIGBANG, gambled while overseas. They were both booked for the allegation earlier this week. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent investigators to YG Entertainment in Mapo Ward, western Seoul,

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2019

N. Korea says it tested 'new weapon' under leader Kim's guidance

North Korea said Saturday that it has tested a "new weapon" under the guidance of its leader, Kim Jong-un, in the launch of two projectiles the previous day.Kim "guided the test-fire of (a) new weapon again on Friday morning," the Korean Central News Agency said. "The national defense scientists showed a perfect result in the test-fire, too, and helped cement bigger confidence in this weapon system." "It is our party's goal of defense building to possess i

North KoreaAug. 17, 2019

Foreign ministry voices regret over Kono's remarks on President Moon

South Korea's foreign ministry expressed regret Friday over the top Japanese diplomat's remarks calling for President Moon Jae-in to "exert his leadership" to address a rancorous row over Tokyo's wartime forced labor.    In a meeting with reporters on Thursday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono renewed Tokyo's claim that South Korea breached international law by demanding compensation for the victims of forced labor and said that Moon should "rectify" the sit

Foreign AffairsAug. 16, 2019

Special festival recreates major intangible Korean cultural assets in Seoul

A special festival in central Seoul will showcase the essence of some internationally recognized traditional Korean performing arts, the culture ministry said Friday.    The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation, will host the festival, whose title translates as "Great Inheritance Meets Today," from Aug. 31 to Sept. 21 on the premises of the National Museum of Korea.     The upc

CultureAug. 16, 2019

Korea to commemorate 10th year of ex-president Kim Dae-jung's death

An official ceremony to commemorate the death of former President Kim Dae-jung 10 years ago will be held in Seoul on Sunday, organizers said.     The Kim Dae Jung Peace Center said on Friday about 2,000 people are expected to participate in the event starting at 10 a.m. at the Seoul National Cemetery.      National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, who heads the commemoration committee, Prime inister Lee Nak-yon, Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and the

PoliticsAug. 16, 2019

Becoming a K-pop star for a day with Airbnb

As Korean culture gains popularity around the world, Airbnb has launched a new K-wave Trip section -- a chance for tourists to take part in K-pop or K-beauty activities.The global house-sharing platform held a press event Friday in the Itaewon area of central Seoul, inviting reporters to a class on how to make a vegan bath scrub, registered as a K-beauty trip under Airbnb. “On Airbnb, we have always seen the want for local, authentic experiences. As the K-wave has proved itself to be

TravelAug. 16, 2019